aem0512

Hello all,

I previously bought some Bell 27" road tires for my vintage road bike. They are causing me all sorts of trouble. Any time they are inflated between 75-90 psi (where they're rated) the tire comes unseated and pops my tube. The tubes and tires are being seated properly by my LBS. I've decided the rubber is just too malleable on these tires for these old steel rims. (apparently old rims don't have a placed to catch the bead as well as new ones)

I've decided to spring for tighter/better tires but I'm wondering what are the advantages/disadvantages to tire width? My rims are stamped 27x1 1/4 (I think, the 4 just looks like a dot so it very well could be an 8.)

And does it matter which ones I put on there?

CACycling

You need wire bead tires and more expensive doesn't mean better as far as staying on the rim. I ran inexpensive Forte GT2/k tires on my old Schwinn hookless steel rims and was able to run 100 psi without them popping off. You should be able to run 1, 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 without issue on your rims.

aem0512

Is there any advantage to a 1 1/8 vs 1 1/4? The town I live in isn't super bumpy, but I do live on a brick road that is.

Cyclomania

I like these, cheap and durable!
https://www.amazon.com/Cheng-Shin-C73...2838164&sr=8-1
And the moderately priced Zafirro
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...1#ReviewHeader
I believe the lower width is better for speed, the relative size is little to warrant more buffer from bumps along the way!
Keep tire pressure up to max and you're safe!

rekmeyata

You can also run 1 3/8ths but those are difficult to find as are the 1's. Kenda is the only company I know making the 3/8ths tire and their a low quality tire. The best 27" tires I've been able to find are the Conti Gatorskin and Conti Ultra Sport at 1 1 1/4th. Panaracer makes the Pasela and the Pasela tour Guard which are very good tires that will equal the Conti's at a lessor cost. If you want to do some touring Schwalbe makes the Marathon in that size as well.

You can get good deals on tires right now due to end of season closeout sales by scouring the internet cycle sites.

Tube wise you may be hard pressed finding a quality 27" tube, but have no fear, any 700c by 23 to 25 or there abouts will work great.

Sci-Fi

With steel rims I would recommend not exceeding 50-55 psi since they are non-hooked. Would need to replace the rims with more modern alum rims like Sun CR-18 if you want to inflate to higher pressures...regardless of tire make.

aem0512

If I have the tire pressure that low I end up getting snake bite holes in the tubes...I tried it already.

sillygolem

+1

I have C637's (1 1/4" version) on my Free Spirit and I like them a lot. These have a steel wire bead, and I've had no problems getting them up to full pressure on my steel rims.

aem0512

I went ahead and ordered the cheng shin C732 (27 x1 1/8). Hopefully they'll work for my rims! The inner diameter of my rims is about 18 mm. According to sheldon browns guide here https://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html (theres a table at the bottom) 28mm tires should work just fine for my rims. 28mm=1.102 inches < 1.125 inches

So I'm good there right?

But I'm confused about the sizing of these thorn resistant tubes I want to buy. Avenir has thorn resistant tubes sized 700c / 27" x 25-35c / 1-1/4" TR. I figure these will work for me since it says 25-35c and the 1 1/8" width is about 28c. But they have another tube sized 700c / 27" x 18-25c/ 1-1/8" TR. I'm confused because I've heard it is better to go bigger rather than smaller with tubes and the 18-25c range listed in the 2nd one is smaller than 1 1/8". Which should I get? Also, the 1st has schrader valve and the 2nd has presta. I don't know if presta would be too small for the valve hole in my rims or not...

fietsbob

without a hook edge rim there is no solution, consider a new wheel set, can still be 27"
but aluminum extrusions with hook edge rims are going to retain the tire better
than a steel one without, and also stop better..

No, there is no advantage.
Though there are advantages to better made tires over cheap ones .

aem0512

Also, my rims have these small holes all the way around. Should I try to tape over them or something?

aem0512

Thanks, but I think I'll try these tires first. I don't really want to spend the money on a new wheel set because I think it is more than the bike is worth.

CACycling

You need a rim strip or rim tape (or a few wraps of electrical tape) to cover the spoke nipples.

bikeman715

just leave the rim as is ,yes use a rim strip for the spoke nipples but for the little holes don't worry about them ,they just make that way.

aem0512

Oh yeah, totally. I have that. I mean the two little holes on either side of the spoke nipples. Can you see them in the picture I attached? I'm wondering if the tire covers these up when seated or if I should try to tape over them too. I'd have to purchase extra wide rim tape and fold it up onto the little ledges the holes are on though. (does that make sense?)

CACycling

Sorry, thought those were just reflections. No need to cover those. Just use tape to cover the nipples and you'll be fine.

aem0512

Any insight on this? ^

CACycling

The tires will be fine. Assuming they are wire bead, they should seat well. Just use care installing them. Make sure the tube doesn't get trapped between the rim and bead; and inflate slowly while checking that the bead is sitting where it should be.

You could get away with either of these tubes as you are right in the middle. Whether larger or smaller is better is a matter of what you want. Smaller will be slightly lighter, larger will result in a slightly thicker tube once it is inflated. But the difference either way won't be much. Usually, slightly smaller tubes are easier to install.

As for shrader vs. presta, if your rim is drilled for shrader, you can use either but should add a groment if you go presta. If you are drilled for presta, going to shrader would require drilling out the existing hole (if there is room to do that). Personally, I'd go with how the rim is drilled.

aem0512

Ok so I have the old rubber rim strip and its about 11mm or 7/16 wide but its cracked in a few places and warped in others. Should I buy the 7/16 wide rim tape or 13mm rim tape? I would rather purchase the 13mm because it comes in a pair and is cheaper but am not sure if it will be too wide?

CACycling

Measure the width inside the rim (or cut a piece of paper 13mm wide and test fit it). There is only a bit over 1/16th inch difference between the two so I would think you could make it work.

wrk101

Don't worry about the holes, but you do need rim tape!

As far as tires go, I have used a lot of unhooked rims, its not the tire, its the installation. You have to be really careful inflating the tires, use a floor pump, not an air compressor. Closely inspect the bead all the way around the rim, if it is not seated fully, start over.

Once the bead is seated and the tires are inflated, unhooked rims are not a problem. But they are MUCH MORE prone to not seating properly, at least in my experience. I have used the Chen Shin tires, they are nothing great, but they work fine.

The rubber rim tape is just about worthless. I really like the one piece molded plastic tape. But the cloth tape works fine too.

rekmeyata

Your good.

Tube wise it's better to go smaller not larger because it makes installing tires easier and their a tad lighter.

aem0512

On these old steel rims, is it ok for the spokes to protrude about 1mm or less past the spoke nipples? I bought some good cloth rim tape I plan to use.

rekmeyata

It's been so many freakin years since I've seen the underside of a steel rim, but I can't recall ever seeing any rim that had spokes protrude, all the aluminum ones I've seen the spoke ends are recessed in about 1mm. I would assume steel would be the same, but I could be wrong.

fietsbob

zero spoke should protrude above the spoke nipple head .. file off any extra.